The right way to pack your summer suitcase, our 8-step guide

With holiday season in full fling, everyone we know seems to be away or about to jet off for a week on the beach or somewhere equally relaxing.

But how do you cram everything you’ll need for your trip into one 20-kilo bag (assuming your hand luggage bag will already be full of your more valuable items like tech devices?)

If you’ve ever wondered if there is an art to packing a suitcase correctly…there is! It’s all about the art of packing tightly, lightly and safely, so you don’t get stung for excess baggage allowance fees.

To make things easier for your next trip, we’ve broken down the art of packing the perfect summer suitcase into 8 simple steps:

First, stuff as many socks and underwear into your shoes as will fit, then arrange the shoes in the bottom of the bag. This is your first layer.

On top, add a layer of heavier rolled items (rolled because this method is the most space-effective) such as jeans, sweaters, etc.

Anything fragile needs to right in the center of all the clothes, protected on all sides.

The next layer will be lighter rolled items like t-shirts and undergarments, also tightly packed to prevent unrolling.

Some items need to be folded rather than rolled so place them on top, ideally in a dry cleaning bag to help prevent wrinkling.

Now fill any corners and pockets where there’s still space, with belts, extra socks, scarves, etc. to help stabilize the packing/weight balance.

Next put your toiletry bag on top. By the way, never put toiletries in a case without a cover of some sort – either a big plastic bag or a toiletry bag – tubes full of cream and colognes have a habit of “exploding” or spilling during a flight!

If you’re staying in a hotel overnight before moving on to your destination resort, pack “tomorrow’s” clothes on top so you won’t have to rifle through your case for your clothes when you’ve checked into your hotel room.

It might sound obvious, but buy a bag that will hold up during the journey, but one which is also on the lighter side. If you travel a lot, a durable but ultra-light case will pay off in the long run. Some cases are so heavy they eat up a lot of your luggage allowance before you’ve even popped in that first pair of tennis socks!

And don’t forget the cardinal rule – always take a little less than you think you’ll need.